Category: Coursework

My Assessment submission guide is available as a pdf file here: Stefan513593_Drawing1_Assessment Submission Guide: My overall evaluation: https://ocalog.stefanschaffeld.com/?p=3893 and as pdf file: Overall_evaluation_Stefan513593 An important part of my submission are my sketchbooks (see reference in my submission guide. I submit one large scale assignment ‘Assignment 5 – My Personal Project (57 x 148 cm)’ work digitally. It is not so much that the work is larger than…

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I started this course unit with curiosity and a strong will to learn a lot. In part 1 I learned how to use my sketchbooks and my learning log. From the beginning I enjoyed being experimental with a fresh approach and to discover new areas that I didn’t know before (see portfolio #1). However, I was not good with scaling…

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Based on my tutor’s feedback on my assignment work I understand that I had to be stronger to ‘demonstrate a considered reasoning of the visual path that leads towards a specific outcome’ and not to get stuck eventually in ideas. Therefore I did review my assignment works and pre works with scrutiny and to ensure that I can build on the more…

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After it took over two weeks with Hermes to get my assignment portfolio to my tutor’s place, I was positively surprised that I received his report just 2 days later. I scheduled skype call with him yesterday to clarify some of his comments and to be able to explain some of my thoughts Overall I am pleased with the feedback…

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How did I do against the assessment criteria? Demonstration of technical and visual skills: I worked mainly in dry media and new techiques of collage and dé-collage. I became during my project more aware of visual perception and bodily experience of drawing. Through deeper investigation of my mark making I studies various aspect of ambiguous and simplified marks. With translucent…

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Drawing re-called sensations with attentive awareness of time and moment With my new confidence in my figurative drawing and my emotional attraction towards outdoor of absorbing and drawing the atmosphere of the location, I was wondering how I could possibly combine both. Ideas as urban reflections, public spaces came to my mind. In my drawing approach I like the interaction of…

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During the process of reflecting on my own work in part 1 -4, additional contextual researches, and studies on figurative ‘landscapes’ and outdoor / site landscapes I came from initial idea of urban reflection, public space to my final subject: Sensational site experience, re-called sensations and attentive awareness of time and moment My assignment consists of two separate parts: Major drawings/studies…

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In preparation of my final drawings for this assignment, I am doing a few sketchbook studies on markings. Goal for this: To feel with strong bodily awareness the tactile sensations of making various markings. Learnings: Touch & pressure: a light hovering over the surface makes me feel stronger the irregularities Speed: my markings do change if I make them…

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As further elaboration of my previous re-called sensational drawings (Schaffeld, weblog post Dec 2015) I planned for larger scale drawings. I recorded my drawing process and my articulated thoughts alongside it on video-audio for my own reference. Drawing #9: I started with a re-called sensation of touch and auditory in chalk, feeling the moment of drawing, the touch of the material,…

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During my studies and site walking I felt more and more moved towards exploration of my site sensations in drawing. For that I am taken some notes of the site I am visiting and some further thoughts for my assignment drawings. Aare River: The Aare river in Switzerland is a very old river dating back to ancient times Millions of years back…

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From my sketchbook studies, researches, and experience on site and re-called sensations, I am thinking how to define closer my subject and drawing approach. I know that I have to focus and come to the point. I am optimistic that at the end all comes together. However, I have to watch the timeframe for this course. I am collection here some notes. My…

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After my previous studies and reflecting on my personal project through my written statement (second attempt) I continued with the next step of re-called sensations of my site experience. Background are my: On site drawings (weblog post, 14 Nov 2015) Understanding techniques of translucent, disguise, and distortion (weblog post, 30 Nov 2015) Sensational experience (tactile) of the human body (my face)…

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As by my learnings from sketchbook series #3 n facial structures (see Schaffeld, 30 Nov 2015) as well as based on my on site drawings (Schaffeld, 14 Nov 2015), I wanted to study more the ‘landscape’ of the human body. Especially the face in relation to a sensational experience. I have the feeling that my project is moving towards a better understanding of the…

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In continuation of my search for subject, markings, and techniques, I did studies on figurative drawing (portrait, face) in my sketchbook. My goals were to understand: the techniques for working with powders, pigment and scalpel how to work translucent techniques of collage and dé-collage related to distortion and disguise (paper, tissue) context: approaches of a few artists (see my visual research)…

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One of my possible subjects is ‘Outdoors‘, in context with figurative drawing, reflections, or other? I am open for new experiences and just want to get started. During my previous researches on ambiguity (Schaffeld, weblog post 30 Oct 2015 and weblog post 10 Nov 2015), I came across the phenomenological approach (as structure of experience, perception and consciousness – quite a…

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From my mind map I was excited to look into ambiguity in drawing, what and how it is and how it could help e in my drawing approach. Definition of Ambiguity: Lack of definition , lack of resolution (Sawdon ed al, 2015) Dalmau, M. (2003) ‘Ambiguity as a conceptual framework for Design‘ Based on the publication of Gaver, Beaver, Benford…

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I continued with trying a few sketches in graphite, ink (for his ease of use on the road) and gouache for overlay. My goal: to find the most important edges for form and atmosphere. Learnings: A combination of line and tone is an appropriate way to depict form and atmosphere (washes) Use of gouache helps to ‘hide’ forms and to merge…

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Link to the entire document incl visuals: D1: My personal project – Visual research – an overview Looking at my own works, recent assignments, and my mind map, I decided to do a broader visual research on various aspects. So far I decided to look deeper into the following aspects as they appeared to be my stronger and engaging topics, but…

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A friend of my wife went on vacation and her cat (a persian cat) was our guest for a week. I took the opportunity to study various markings (expressive, abstract, ambiguous, simplified) with the cat ‘Carla’ as my model. I consider this as a visual way of idea capture. Sketches 1 – 12: annotated in my paper learning log Learnings What…

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Combining figurative art and outdoor elements as an investigation and exploration of spaces, forms, and atmospheres. By using abstract and expressive marks I am looking for creation of a sense of movement and volatility. By restricting myself primary to dry media and powders I will push the limits of what drawing can mean in a strong physical approach. The drawing…

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After receiving the feedback from my tutor on assignment 4, we scheduled a Skype call to discuss open questions and possible approaches for my personal project. It lasted around 40 min. It was greatly beneficial to see my tutor and he showed me even some ideas and techniques. Conclusions: My emotional attraction is going at this moment towards: – Figurative drawing,…

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Happiness 🙂 My engagement and enthusiasm during part 4 was recognised as well as my different and more confident drawing approach. I showed a ‘good understanding of material, support, proportions and tone to convey form and space’. My earlier challenges with the chosen support were overcome. Overall my tutor acknowledges that I have the potential to succeed the assessment. I’ve sent…

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How did I do against the assessment criteria? Demonstration of technical and visual skills: Based on received tutor’s feedback I previous assignment I revisited my usage of media and my drawing approach. I limited myself to rather dry media (charcoal, Conté crayon, graphite) and used wet media (ink, paint, watercolor) rather to create distinct atmosphere or to prepare drawing surfaces. To…

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Self- portrait combining line and tone (Charcoal, Conté crayon, rubber – A1) Now this study should be ambitious and experimental, I assume more than the other two. Well I took this up as my own challenge, also to see how much I can overcome my hurdles with scale, colour, and getting my sketchbook free appeal into this drawing. I decided for…

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Seated figure using line (charcoal, Conté crayon, graphite, rubber – A1) For this and the following study I worked with my model in her comfortable environment. I asked her to make herself comfortable and to chose poses that would help her to do so. She went onto her yoga mat and for the sitting pose placed herself on the small…

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Revisiting my learnings in preparation for assignment 4 Over the time I worked on part 4 I felt that I took personally a big step forward. Did I learn in previous parts about media and how I could get used to them as well as about basic tools, this part I learned more about my own drawing approach. I think limiting…

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Before starting this exercise I was wondering how I will tackle it. Than during a tram ride I’ve seen en elderly woman with her daughter?/her caretaker? getting on the tram at one station. The woman seemed very fragile, moving in slow steps and need to hold on a handrail at the door. One the one hand I was wondering how…

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Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606 – 1669) Rembrandt did some quite some self portraits over the his artist life, starting at age 23 to his oldest as age 63. All of them are nearly the same angle. The earlier one still in his painting style of light and shadow with a single light source. One can really follow hie life, the turbulences. However it could be critical to interpret too much into…

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For this exercise I placed myself in front of the bathroom mirror and trying to find interesting poses that I still can manage to observe and draw. To warm up I did a few 5 min sketches in different media and approaches. Face #1 For the first self face drawing I was wondering which media and format to use. My…

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Facial features – study from found images and some books Proportions of the head (front and profile) After intense study of the facial features, its proportions and relationship towards each other, I was ready to do a full face on larger scale. For that I tried my new arrived pastel paper (PastelCard) as I am on constant…

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‘People watching’ is a good way to understand human movement and interaction. So I went with my sketchbook on the road (train stations) and in the city (event). As this exercise is about moving figures and as I struggled in the last exercise with the depiction of movement, I told myself to sketch more on the spot, embracing the movement as…

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Some sketches from daily observations How well have you managed to create the sense of a moving figure rather than a static pose? => I found this exercise quite difficult and challenging. Perhaps because the figure was moving so fast that I had not much more than a few seconds to depict. Perhaps I focused too much on the figure as…

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I found this research quite difficult, is not all figurative art somehow based on the underlying structures of the body? Especially in the Renaissance the human body and anatomy was widely in the focus of research and art. 1543 the first comprehensively illustrated Renaissance treatise from Andreas Vesalius’ De humani corporis fabrica was published in Basel. The great italian artists incorporated the findings in…

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For this exercise I spent some time with my sketchbook on 2 min poses with different viewpoints and poses. I was looking for some interesting poses and viewpoints that could give the drawing a certain appeal. Either through a potential narrative, interesting diagonals, or by expression of a certain mood and atmosphere. After doing this preliminary exercises that took quite some…

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I feel that part 4 is taken more time, and on the other hand is such a fascinating topic. I think that several contextual researches are now coming together and building up to my approach to drawing. Nevertheless, the human figure and it structure is a complex subject. Quite a lot to learn and to experiment. So far I do…

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Loosely sketch some of the structures that make up the human body and to create studies of the individual parts that make up my own body. Learnings: It was quite a discovery journey along the body. Quite fascinating to move along the planes and the twists. Alongside my sketchbook studies (see notes) it helped me to have a better understanding about shapes,…

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Another contempory artist my tutor suggested me to look at is the Belgium artist and film maker Michaël Borremans (b.1963) as he is using quite a limited colour palette. As observed during my last assignment I tended to use too much pure and bright colours. I experienced that drawings with a reduced number of colours do not restrict me in my approach or markings.…

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This exercise is about quick sketches to capture the essence of a ‘dynamic’ pose, rather gesture like, with focus on movement and the involved energy. Quite in this context are some of the works of Francis Bacon (see my research on figurative drawing) One example is ‘Turning Figure‘, 1959-62 [Online image] London: Tate. Available from: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bacon-turning-figure-t07352 [accessed 23 July 2015] Learnings As…

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In this exercise I will focus on the standing figure (seating figure for next time). As I already applied the concept of the central axis and some spacial sight lines in the previous two exercises, I will continue here with rather quick 2-5 poses in my A4 sketchbook (so rather smaller scale). These quick sketches will be my reference material for…

Frank Auerbach (b. 1931) is a London based contemporary figurative artist. Besides Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, Leon Kossoff, and a few others he is considered as one of the London school painters. However, Auerbach himself never considered himself as part of a style or movement. For his figurative works, mostly portraits, he works at times over decades with the same models/sitters who were…

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This time draw a sequence of six different poses lasting ten minutes each. Emphasising the threedimensional form. For this I worked in my A3 sketchbook (finding this sketchbook format more suitable for 5-10 min sketches or studies) For the next two I changed from graphite to charcoal as a more tonal and expressive medium. … and back to graphite for another model:…

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My tutor suggested to me to look at some works of Emma Stibbon (British b.1962) for her stark monochromatic works. Stibbon worked in the past intensively with white chalk on with ink blackened paper. Also she experimented with graphite and gesso, with watercolour and partly even with pigment. Later she worked more and more in pure ink on paper. She works with reference…

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For the first session I walked around my seated model to get different viewpoints. By that I also got a variation of foreshortening, either of the lower or the upper body. I used for all drawing the length of the head as one unit. The slightly variations on viewpoints made certain body proportions more or less different. Especially on drawing #7…

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Foreshortening = ‘The correct depiction in perspective of a single figure or object or part thereof in relation to its distance from the eye of the viewer. Foreshortening has been discussed in treatises and taught in art schools since the Renaissance.‘ Oxford Art Online [Accessed 26 July 2015] Me in the mirror (different media): I tried several poses to get…

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For this exercise I did first some sketchbook studies to get acquainted with my model, finding a place and a pose that is comfortable enough for a 1 hour session with intermediate breaks. And testing color with colored pencil During the break my model stretch herself and went into a relaxing pose. I took this opportunity for a sketch in graphite…

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This research will take some time, so I will look over a couple of days or weeks at artists to whom I feel emotionally connected to. Knowing of course that there are different approaches and mark makings. I will focus on drawings, only will include paintings were I think that they might have an influence on my own works…

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For this exercise at home warmed up with a few ad hoc poses at our home in my A4 sketchbook. I applied broad and bold marks either in pencil or charcoal to find the shapes in space. I found that working in masses rather than lines only was easier to find the form. With a few more marks I added…

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For project 1 I wanted to understand more about folds and how to draw them besides a cloth thrown over a chair. For this I used one of my studio shirts and placed it over an easel, clamped to it, and thrown over a rectangular box on a chair I found a good book about the drawing the clothed figure…

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As I was travelling I tried to do the following as preparation for my upcoming travel: letting my model sit in two poses and taken photographs from her. The idea was to cary on this exercise in a hotel room without a life model. That said I worked around in my sketchbook and than on some larger scale papers in different media…

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This worked on this exercise while travelling. I used a blanket from the hotel room thrown over a chair and got started. To get a better understanding of the drawing drapery and folds I looked up some information in a drawing book (Nicolaides, 1969): – The point where the drapery is held (knee, elbow etc.) is called a hub – From the hub the folds radiate…

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My tutor suggested me to look at the drawings of Peter Peri for his crisps control of working with pencil. Peri is a London based artist (draughtsman, painter and sculptor) who works quite controlled in graphite on smaller scale. Peri takes reference to the constructivism and modern formalism. Some of his drawings remind to M.C. Escher and to some of Paul Klee.…

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Max Gubler (1898-1973), swiss painter and at his time considered as the ‘only swiss genius’. Exhibition in Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland (13 Mar 2015 – 02 Aug 2015) http://www.kunstmuseumbern.ch/en/see/today/491-max-gubler–120.html What fascinated me most in the exhibition and the figurative paintings, mostly self-portraits and depicting of his wife, are his way of looking at the human figure, his mark makings, and his…

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In the reading list of this course was mentioned the book from John Berger, that was based on a four-part TV series broadcasted on BBC on the same topic. The book is from 1972, but I think some aspects are still valid today some may be even more important nowadays with images free flowing through social networks. Berger is mainly…

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I am going to do a series of drawings of the sections of the subject of the bridge and architectural features from Ex 2 from project 5 (townscape study in line) as my tutor suggested using pencil, grey marker pens and possibly white ink or gouache. Here I will explore a more abstract approach, the structure, its form and space. To answer the question: Can…

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My sketchbooks are continue to be my strength where I am ‘constantly engaged in each of the exercises and projects by first turning to this space, which is allowing you to interrogate your ideas and making this space your own; logging developments for a piece of work, playing with compositions, testing approaches and fusing materials, annotating and contextualizing your works’,…

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How did I do against the assessment criteria? Demonstration of technical and visual skills: Although I had an initial thought about my preferred medium (gouache and charcoal) I did further testing and found ink a better medium for my composition and the atmosphere of the location. I was able to get quite confident with my ink and brush technique. I watched…

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My assignment piece is covering a location near our home. First I strolled around to find an appealing scene. Actually I found two and did some sketches on both. I came to the decision on one scene due to its more mystic appeal and with a more variety of different textures and patterns. The other I could envision for a future…

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Statues: I found some (traditional and modern sculptures) along the waterfront and in some small parks. I cannot say a lot about those, although I felt attracted by certain qualities and surface properties. My first sketches done in pencil, studying part of the statue .. .. in more distance observed in a private garden (behind the fence). Walking further I…

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For this study I decided to go for the already identified scene and composition from Exercise 1 in larger scale. I was not so sure about the brief and which medium to use. As I definitely wanted to capture the contrast between the old bricks façade and the modern painted façade, I decided to go first for a wet medium…

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During my sketchbook walk in the city of Leer around the port, I came across an interesting pattern of lines: a modern residential building at the waterfront. First I’ve seen only the repetitive diagonal and horizontal lines (small sketch in my A5 sketchbook). I went back for a more open viewpoint on the scene and than I discovered the kids playhouse…

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For this exercise I went to the old downtown of the city Leer, close to the Northsea coast. It is an old sea town with many ships and boats. In the past there were fisherman living in the little houses. Now they are partly modernized – still residential buildings. On some buildings the very old bricks are exposed, with angles…

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My tutor suggested me to look into the drawings of Richard Diebenkorn (1922-1993) and his use of tone and control. I included him already in my research on townscapes. In this research I will look more into his ink and watercolour drawings of day to day things and more figurative works. I am quite eager to learn more about more expressive…

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John Virtue (b. 1947) – during his years as associate artist in residence of the National Gallery, he made a significant amount of works, some of them at very large scale. (see also my earlier research on his usage of material tone and scale) One further example of the large series of landscapes (actually a combination of land- and townscapes)…

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For this exercise I decided for the monumental view over the lake Lucerne in Switzerland still during my visit there. It was late afternoon, a quite bright day, but with clouds coming down over the mountains towards the lake. It was nearly a silhouette kind of view – with the dark pier in the foreground and the very dark mountains…

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My tutor suggested me to look deeper at the works and her working approach of Kate Downie (b.1958). She is a U.S. born Scottish Artist who works in and with landscape, working on location with ink and charcoal. She is a member of the RSA (Royal Scottish Academy). Kate Downie did some journeys through China in 2011 and 2013 where…

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For this exercise I took a viewpoint at approx. roof level in the swiss town with the mountains in the background. I chose a A3 format and pencil and ink pen. With the pencil I marked all lines that I checked with my viewfinder (for distances). For the angles I used I a wooden stick that I put infront of my eyes on…

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For this exercise I decided to search for some ‘doorways’ in the town in Switzerland I was visiting. I got attracted by the view inside the train station and a second scene of a tunnel under the railways. Therefore I decided to do my studies here. I checked the drawings later back at home. Eye level: as the ‘doorways’ were a bit un-straight with…

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After the last exercises on project three I was not very happy with the results. On the one hand the large scale from exercise 1 where I felt I was not bold enough in my markings. Therefore I took the scene from outdoor exercise 2 and did a large scale work on A1 at home. I considered my learnings from my…

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For this research I did not know first how to tackle it. I searched through some books form the reading list, searched online and actually got some references during my last museum visit. At the end I choose three examples (one from the course material). I felt attracted by the works of Amy O’Neill and Alain Huck and I was wondering…

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• How did you simplify and select? Were you able to focus on simple shapes and patterns amid all the visual information available to you? – Using hatching technique for more complex structures such as trees – Mapping out main tonal areas and light/shadow contrasts from observation and building up the object from there. Especially for the trees helped this approach. – Application of finer marks,…

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While preparing for this exercise I realised that some of the elements I already tried to include in the previous exercise. I understand this exercise such way that I will work on A3 paper in graphite and water soluble pencils. I think a good opportunity to go outside and draw on location. I will see how far I go and…

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After the various researches I was happy to continue with drawing on large scale. My head was so full of input that I was looking forward to put some of them into practice. I went through my sketchbook studies and one drawing from the sketchbook walk got my great atttention #1: ‘At the end of town‘ with the sign ‘No…

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Claude Monet (1840 – 1926) ‘Haystacks’ or ‘Wheatstacks’ 1888-1891 in Giverny. The serie is taking the same scene and object to reflect the different light and weather conditions over the time of a day and over different seasons. At his time it was very new and modern to put such a simple object as a haystack as the point of…

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For this exercise I went a bit outside of town to find a good view in all directions with fields, roads, canals, trees, houses, and a lot of clouds – as we are living in flat land at ±0m. On the dyke of a canal I’ve found a nice position. I put my stool there and started with pencil (B and 6B) in…

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For this exercise I walked along my regular running path through the fields and around the small towns in our neighbourhood. As this exercise asks for quick sketches as a kind of notetaking, I decided to take only my field sketchbook (A5) and two pencils (one fine B and one broad 6B) with me. At this time the weather changes…

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Vija Celmins is an Latvian-american artist who is devoted to drawing, painting and printmaking. She bases her works significantly on photographs, studying in detail the underlying patterns of the image. Especially her graphic drawing of the galaxy, the desert and the ocean show her intimate approach to texture and patterns. In her earlier work ‘Night Forms‘ in monochrome with bold contrast…

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For this exercise I will go out and make quick drawings of different cloud formations. In my region the clouds are sometimes quite fast moving and shapes and patterns are changing quickly. Quite a challenge. Therefore I took couple of days to work on this exercise. At times I got a bit frustated to depict enough volume of the clouds.…

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Landscape means mainly the depiction of a natural scenery. The depiction of a landscape in art goes back to the hellenistic period around 300 B.C. But only later it became a more selfstanding type of art. Especially the landscape painting from the early flemish masters of the 15th century. One example if the work of Jan van Eyck (1390-1441) of…

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This is my reworked assignment piece from part two —— My assignment 2 piece did not impress so much. After reflecting more on my drawing and considering my tutor’s feedback, there were the following issues with it: – Composition and context: distorted relationship and perspective of the main sheep, not convincing visual depth – Color: not clear why I used certain…

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This is the reworked exercise from part two – project 6 – exercise 3 ——- From my tutor’s feedback that I received on this exercise related to contrast and working more reductively, I decided to rework this interior scene. As the scene as such changed a bit, I worked from my initial drawing and sketchbook studies (I did not make…

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In order to find interesting group of trees and focal points I went outside and did quite a few sketches (sketchbook walk). At this time of the year with not so much foilage on the trees I was looking for other interesting features. Most trees, especially the further distant ones, look like a silhouette in front of the sky (it is flat…

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I do thank my tutor greatly for his feedback on my assignment 2. It took quite a while to digest his remarks. Some of them I should not have been surprized of and others that pushed me harder. After some days I can really work on it. I decided to continue with part three, project 1 to get fresh air and…

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For this exercise I decided to go for the willow tree in our garden (see exercise 1). Behind the willow were coniferous trees that make the background quite dark. I found it appealing to work with willow charcoal. First as it seems so natural for me and because I wanted to work out the shapes from the dark background with…

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I was looking forward to this exercise a kind of walk through our garden with the different varieties of trees. I went for pencil as I didn’t have so much chance to work with it in the previous part of the course. At the end I decided to draw the willow tree in ‘negative’ form as it was standing in…

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How did I do against the assessment criteria? Demonstration of technical and Visual Skills I applied my learnings from the previous exercises for this assignment. Especially the usage of line and tone, color washes, ‘negative’ drawing with frisket pen, collage technique with transfer paper etc. Going through several steps of observation from life animals and their environment, I used my sketches…

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I have reworked this assignment after receiving valuable feedback from my tutur: see here After some thoughts back and force whether to go for bathroom interior as in project 4 or for an animal drawing I decided for the latter one. As I felt a bit unsatisfied after the completion of project 5 (see my reflection) I wanted to find a good conclusion…

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The brief asks for getting out of the comfort zone and to experiment more with new combinations of material. I reflected once more on my previous exercises and my researches, thinking about how to incorporate collage. I came back to the lonely doors from Toba Khedoori and the thoughts about interiors, doors and rooms in the FRIEZE magazine (‘doors and entering…

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I was really looking forward to this exercise as it would hopefully give me some further ideas (see my reflection on project 5).This is another exercise that I am doing while traveling and staying in a hotel. And unfortunately I am doing this exercise as my father in law just passed away. Will see how my emotions and feelings get…

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Interior art works are going far back in the past, some famous fresco works from Giotto with interior views alongside the portraiture, mostly in the context of religion and the church interior. Pieter de Hooch painted in the so called ‘Gouden Eeuw’ in the 17th century in the Netherlands the intimate domestic interiors of its wealthy inhabitants. Recently I read…

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I have reworked this exercise after receiving valuable feedback from my tutor on my assignment 2: see here For this tonal study I decided as mentioned in the previous exercise to go for the view into the ironing room with light is shining through the single window. I selected a vertical large format (70x50cm) for the more dramatic appeal. My…

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Animal drawings gave me a kind of challenge. The last study in exercise 4 brought me closer to my intention with more free gestural and expressive marks. I really like that but I need to study it more. Somehow I feel that I tend towards a more realistic drawing when I focus quite deep on shapes, form and tones. I was missing a…

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From the previous ‘travel around the house’ sketches I will do two different compositional studies. I will work in charcoal (as it gives richer tonal variations) in my A4 sketchbook. With the intention to look for strong tonal contrasts, textures, linear qualities, and strong positive and negative space I started my first composition scenario. Composition area #1: Ironing room I continued…

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I already like this exercise of traveling through the house on discovery tour. Looking for new areas, interesting shapes, and perhaps challenging situations. I worked in my A4 and A5 sketchbooks for these quick sketches and a variety of materials to understand different visual effects. Working with charcoal and starting in our living room: Continuing with pencil and later with…

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While looking through some animal anatomy books I came across a few lion images that attracted my attention (Ellenberger, 1996). With my theme found I wanted to do with this exercise a bit more expressive and dynamic drawings. Lions, especially the females, are hunter and they do it mainly during darkness. This I wanted to capture. To warm up and…

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For this exercise I wanted to capture the esssence of young cows in our neighbourhood. They are still in the stables so I had to go and look for one where I could get a closer look on them. I find the fur of young cows quite fascinating as it is still hairy and not as smooth and glossy as…

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For this exercise I was very happy to get hold of a sheep skull. To have a real skull in my hands was not only an intimate but also a kind of dramatic experience for me. I could feel and touch it, and I knew that once it was a living animal. So special and so unique. I wanted to capture these…

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This project is about pets and other animals. We do not have pets at home, so I was wondering how to get close to live animals. Either visiting a zoo or looking around in our neighbourhood to see if any farm animals are on the field or all still in the stables. Luckily, I found some cows in a stable nearby, but after…

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From the previous visual research I took some learnings and experimented in my sketchbook. As the project is about animals I took some animal poses from my sketchbook that I took in the context of exercise 1. In reference to Garrett Phelan on his usage of line drawing together with marker pen. And a combined approach with colored areas in…

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1. Contant Nieuwenhujis (1920 – 2005) Constant, not really a contemporary artist, is mostly known as one of the member of the avant-garde group COBRA where artists from Denmark, Belgium and Netherlands came together in the years 1948-1951 to work together on the theme of spontaneity and experimentation, with some inspiration coming from children drawings. Still today there are related activities going…

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For this exercise I was wondering which objects to use. They should be contrasting enough and a combination of natural and man-made objects. I didn’t want to got for ordinary fruits and vegetables. Looking back at my ‘bathroom’ concepts/studies I was looking for a natural object to combine. I was searching for a narrative to tell. I found in our…

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With this exercise I will experiment with perhaps ‘uncommon’ media and combinations. I will think about my learnings so far and how to combine them in a new still life approach. Knowing that different media require different drawing techniques. Some are working better close to the paper, some better for free expressive strokes. Key topic would be for me to…

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What aspects of each drawing were successful, and what did you have problems with? I feel I was successful with finding appealing compositions and experimenting with textures and patterns. Also i think I was more successful when I applied broader and free strokes. Trying to be accurate led me sometimes towards an overworked and messy drawing with unpleasant results. More difficult…

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In this exercise I will learn a different way of approaching a still life: looking more in tone and color while creating a variety of patterns, effect, and sweeps of color. This exercise is supposed to be done in a fast, spontaneous, and energetic way. Using different colors for toning an image (dark, mid tone and light tones) and to…

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In this exercise I will set up a still life with objects that are somehow connected with each other (e.g. in shape, height, pattern, texture, function, story, etc.) or they are just contrasting each other. Perhaps there is a narrative within the still life. I did not know how difficult it could be to set up a still life while…

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Reflection: Which drawing media did you find most effective to use for which effects? – Maker pens are good for bright, quick and dense colors. Also for quick color studies, broad strokes. and shading. They are fast drying, but not so easy to blend or mix (Copic markers). Highlights need to be considered form the very beginning (blank areas). – Colored…

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With this exercise I will create an interesting and appealing drawing with a range of tonal values made with coloured pencils. I understand that the key elements for this exercise are: variety of marks and contrast. I selected a red cabbage with its stem, cut off, from our garden – with amazing texture patterns and contrast in texture. With some…

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In this exercise it is expected to depict the textural properties of a natural object, to think about shapes and line thickness, and to work in a continuous line with a ‘non-expressive’ tool. So the perception of three-dimensions will come through the thickness of line patterns and their direction. As a warm-up I did some studies on found objects, mostly…

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In this exercise I will look into the different ways of using marker pens and ink/dip pens to depict natural textures in the context of Pop-Art or other ways of imitative, unreal, and iconic perception. Some question that came up to me: What kind of markings (hatching, sporting, shading, blending)? What support to use (smooth, rough, found supports)? What objects to…

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I guess this exercise will be a lot of fun in experimenting around to discover various techniques to describe surface textures of objects. I selected the following textures for me to experiment with: – Plastic net from packaging, bamboo mat, sponge, microfiber cloth – Tools used: Chalk, water, ink, nib pen, acryl paint, sculptural tool, cleaning sponge, toothbrush I played around quite…

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Looking for natural objects for this composition. I will explore viewpoints, different arrangements, light directions to find the most interesting composition that fits best the selected objects. Selecting the objects (birch tree branch, two onions, one big carrot, straw) was easier than finding a meaningful and appealing composition. I did most of the studies in charcoal in order to practise…

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For this exercise I was looking in the evening for some meaningful objects in our home that might turn into an expressive composition. I looked in the kitchen in our sink with the loneliness of the dishes yet to cleaned. Four objects in a deep black sink – a cooking pan, a cup, a small glass, a cloth. For the…

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With this research I will look into the concept of positive and negative space, and how art practitioners are incorporating this in their works. Patrick Caulfield and Gary Hume, both mentioned in the course material, are both related more or less to Pop-Art. There is an interesting article about their group exhibition in Tate, London from Fox,D. (2013) in the Frieze magazine. I wanted…

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My tutor suggested helpful ideas to improve my drawing skills as well as my observational and critical reflection abilities. Overall, it was good to see that I am on the right track with specific strenghts on my experimental approach, the usage of my learning log, and my contextual research. Drawing skills: I think here I need to work a bit…

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Part two is looking at our environment in drawing and with this research I will look deeper into the evolution of Still Life pictures, works across the centuries to the practice of contempary artists. Traditionally still life or ‘nature morte’ is typical an arrangement if inanimate objects. eg. flower, fruit, artefacts, housefold goods, layed out on a table or other flat…

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With this my first assignment I will demonstrate what I’ve learned and how I can apply my skills in drawing a still life with objects that have some meaning to me. It was requested to set up objects with interesting shapes and angles and to consider the negative space. Application of light and dark, various tones will allow the creation…

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In this exercise I will look deeper into the interplay of light and shadow on two objects with reflective surfaces. Looking around in my home for adequate objects I selected first my new stainless steel tea pot and after further looking I selected a glass jar with nice pattern on the surface, quite right for christmas season. As I wasn’t…

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‘Deux Arbres (Two trees)’, 1875: http://www.wikiart.org/en/odilon-redon/two-trees-1875 In this drawing the darkest spot is just in the center of the picture. It absorbs all the attention of the viewer. There is a small path leading towards this black hole. At the beginning it is bright light, slowly fading into the dark black background. Lights spots are accompanying the view along the path…

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The last two exercises I explored different ways of rendering a three-dimensional perception of form. I learned how important it is to understand correctly the direction of direct and reflected light. Referring to Leonardo da Vinci’s five-value rule helped me to understand the concept deeper. My initial sketches supported my learnings. What I found out is the importance of good observation…

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To create a three-dimensional perception of drawn objects, in this exercise I will use hatching, criss-crossing and spoting marks/lines. Compared to the previous exercise where I applied tones in various values through application of shading tools as charcoal and chalk, I will now use more lining tools: dip pen and ink, ballpen, mechanical pencil, fineliner. Sketchbook I took a simple…

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The usage of tone as a basic drawing skill helps to render three-dimensional perceived objects drawn on a flat surface. According to the five-value rule of Leonardo da Vinci, one can differentiate the following five values of objects exposed to light: Highlight: direct light Half (or mid) tone: receiving direct light at an oblique angle Shadow: cur off from direct…

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I experimented further with different media to see how the expression and perception of shapes and forms will change. I took for this testing only one object (instead of a group of object to stay focused). With focusing on weight, perceived depth and distances, I discovered surprizing results. Scribbling with ink pen and fine tip let the form disintegrate. Ink pen with brush…

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Here some of my sketchbook drawings where I experienced with some ideas, on how to express in different media certain moods. I tried to see how it works for objects (still life) as well as for people (figurative). To express emotions with objects is not so easy, I will need to do more studies on that. On object #3 I…

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Here I will go deeper into how to recognize basic shapes and fundamental forms. Shapes are not forms, but why the difference? Shapes are flat and lines, mostly outlines are marking boundaries in space. The drawing is typically done on a flat surface, the picture-plane. Through structuring of shapes the perception of forms as three-dimensional can be achieved. Here the…

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(amended Nov 29th, 2014 after reflection on feedback from my tutor) For this visual research I will look deeper into the work of Vincent van Gogh, Cy Twombly, and Willem de Kooning. I chose the three artists as I am very much attracted by their work. 1) Vincent van Gogh – ‘Tree roots in a sandy ground’ (1882) http://krollermuller.nl/object.php/KM%20117.091%20RECTO/Boomwortels-in-een-zandgrond-Les-racines?lang=en , Media used:…

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Here I will learn about how to express my own emotions and feelings through leaving different marks on a surface. Will they be visible as such to the viewer? This reminds me to my research trail about the energy of vitality and drawing as motion. And last not least the visual language in pictorial form will tell the story. For…

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First idea: Lawn marks Walking through the garden in the afternoon, grass is still a humid. I tried to make marks through walking alone. My shoes leaving traces. I enjoyed this, but looking at the results and pictures, it was not that convincing. The marks are hard to see/read. However, this first idea took me out of the regular drawing…

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As mentioned in the coursework it was encouraged to do the Introduction to HE course. Here I expected to learn more about important concepts and practical techniques. My Starting point: I chose the Documentary film alphabet, from the Austrian director Erwin Wagenhofen. I did not chose a well-established art practitioner at this time. First, I already wanted to see this documentary, and secondly…

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At the end of this course I will be capable to demonstrate my drawing skills and my perceptive reflection skills. Especially: I can demonstrate my drawing skills in various media I will be able to represent three dimensions by drawing with line, tone and color. I will be able to explain basic rules of linear perspective and other drawing systems…

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Now I received the binder with course materials along with my student card. I am collecting the materials for the Drawing course, my studio is ready to go. But before I really go, I went through the Introduction to HE course, and now I am working on the small assignment ‘research trail’ to get my skills in reflective writing nicely shaped. The…

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After receiving my welcome package by email, I am trying to set up my profile and to get around the system. I created this learning log, but not sure how I will in reality deal with it during my studies. Sketchbooks, hardcover log books, transferring images to this blog? We will see